C WorldWide Group Holding A S lowered its position in shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG – Free Report) by 7.8% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,457,872 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 123,877 shares during the period. Alphabet accounts for approximately 9.0% of C WorldWide Group Holding A S’s portfolio, making the stock its largest position. C WorldWide Group Holding A S’s holdings in Alphabet were worth $418,205,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Nvest Wealth Strategies Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Alphabet during the 4th quarter worth about $38,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in shares of Alphabet in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Alphabet during the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Bard Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Alphabet during the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Finally, Towne Trust Company N.A lifted its stake in Alphabet by 34.0% during the fourth quarter. Towne Trust Company N.A now owns 134 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 27.26% of the company’s stock.
Insider Buying and Selling at Alphabet
In related news, major shareholder 2019 Gp L.L.C. Gv sold 87,475 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.75, for a total value of $2,077,531.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Frances Arnold sold 112 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $351.28, for a total value of $39,343.36. Following the sale, the director directly owned 18,833 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,615,656.24. This represents a 0.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 159,415 shares of company stock valued at $7,672,279. Corporate insiders own 12.99% of the company’s stock.
Alphabet Stock Up 1.5%
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The information services provider reported $5.11 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.68 by $2.43. Alphabet had a net margin of 37.92% and a return on equity of 38.99%. The firm had revenue of $109.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $106.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.81 EPS. Alphabet’s quarterly revenue was up 21.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Alphabet Inc. will post 14.33 earnings per share for the current year.
Alphabet Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 8th were issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 8th. This is a positive change from Alphabet’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.21. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Alphabet’s dividend payout ratio is currently 6.71%.
Alphabet News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Alphabet this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Alphabet is developing a new AI server chip, “Frozen v2,” designed to run its Gemini models more efficiently, which suggests lower inference costs and stronger AI margins. Reuters: Google plans new chip to run Gemini models more efficiently
- Positive Sentiment: Several analysts and market commentators remain bullish ahead of earnings, citing strong Search and Google Cloud growth, along with expectations that Alphabet can beat or at least support current high valuations. Zacks: Can Strong Search and Cloud Growth Drive GOOGL’s Q2 Earnings?
- Positive Sentiment: Investor attention is also being lifted by Berkshire Hathaway’s large Alphabet stake and comments from Warren Buffett, which reinforce confidence in Alphabet as a durable AI and core internet franchise. Motley Fool: Warren Buffett Said He Personally Started Berkshire’s Alphabet Position
- Neutral Sentiment: With Alphabet set to report on July 22, options traders and analysts expect a sizable post-earnings move, underscoring that the stock may stay volatile into the print. Investopedia: Here’s How Much Google Parent Alphabet’s Stock Is Seen Moving After Earnings Wednesday
- Neutral Sentiment: Broader market focus on geopolitical risks and Big Tech earnings is adding a wait-and-see tone, but this is more of a backdrop than a direct driver for Alphabet. Yahoo Finance: US stocks edge down with Iran and earnings season in focus
- Negative Sentiment: New securities-fraud investigations disclosed by law firms could create some overhang, although these are early-stage and not yet tied to any specific financial impact. GlobeNewswire: Securities Fraud Investigation Into Alphabet Inc. Continues
Analysts Set New Price Targets
GOOG has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wedbush began coverage on Alphabet in a report on Thursday, July 16th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $445.00 price target for the company. Scotiabank reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $450.00 price objective (up from $400.00) on shares of Alphabet in a report on Thursday, April 30th. Truist Financial set a $430.00 price objective on shares of Alphabet in a research report on Monday, June 1st. KeyCorp set a $445.00 target price on shares of Alphabet in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Alphabet from $395.00 to $460.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $383.44.
Read Our Latest Report on Alphabet
Alphabet Company Profile
Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) is a multinational technology holding company headquartered in Mountain View, California. Formed in 2015 through a corporate restructuring of Google, Alphabet serves as the parent to Google LLC and a portfolio of businesses collectively known as “Other Bets.” Google was originally founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin; Alphabet is led by CEO Sundar Pichai, who oversees Google and the broader company while the founders remain prominent shareholders and influential figures in the company’s history.
Alphabet’s core business centers on internet search and advertising, with Google Search and the company’s ad platforms (including Google Ads and AdSense) generating the majority of revenue by connecting advertisers with consumers worldwide.
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